


I will verbally attack anyone who ever tries to out you

by counting2fifteen



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Outing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 08:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20005288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/counting2fifteen/pseuds/counting2fifteen
Summary: Another YouTuber posts a picture of Dan and Phil. They want it taken down.





	I will verbally attack anyone who ever tries to out you

**Author's Note:**

> obviously wasn't going to make up something like this about a real youtuber so I made up a character named Max Wright who apparently shares a name with an actor who died recently so hopefully no currently living people are offended by this  
> [like/rb on tumblr if you want :)](https://counting2fifteen.tumblr.com/post/186596587498/i-will-verbally-attack-anyone-who-ever-tries-to)

“Phil.” Phil was being shaken awake, and all he was aware of was total darkness and Dan’s hands on him.

He rolled over. “What?” he mumbled.

“Phil. We have a situation.” Dan’s voice was tight.

Phil reached for his glasses. “What kind of situation? Dan, it's two in the morning.”

“Three, and Phil, you really need to look at this.” Dan handed Phil his phone and sunk into Phil’s bed, posture rigid.

Phil put his glasses on and Dan’s phone screen came into focus. On his screen was a tweet from a handle he vaguely recognized, @MaxWrites. Phil’s stomach dropped.

It was a grainy, blurred photo, but it clearly showed Dan and Phil, slow dancing, Dan’s head resting on Phil’s shoulder. The caption: “Get a room @amazingphil @danielhowell”.

Phil fought down a wave of fury. It was a photo from a party he and Dan had attended the previous night. They had ducked out early, claiming fatigue, but really, Dan had been having a bad mental health day. Phil hadn't realized anyone had been filming or taking photos, let alone ones to post online later, or he never would have allowed himself to touch Dan like that. But he hadn't realized, so when the DJ started playing a slow song he had let Dan pull him onto the floor, and when Dan had said he needed to be held, Phil had held him. To take such a personal moment and post it online for the likes and retweets, regardless of consequences to other people- well, Phil was not a fan.

Phil shook his head. “It was only other youtubers and management at that party- I thought-”

“Well, it doesn't matter, what you thought, Phil,” Dan snapped, “Clearly ‘other youtubers and management’ doesn't mean shit. ”

“Hey, I'm not a fan of this either-” Phil snapped back, until he noticed Dan’s head was buried in his hands and he was shaking.

“Please,” Dan whispered, “Just fix it. Before my mum or my grandma or my brother sees. Just fix it.”

Phil did his best not to sigh. “Okay,” he said, “Have you reported it?”

“Yes, but Phil, that could take ages-”

“Better than nothing. It hasn't been up that long, right? And you found it because of the mention, not because our fans found it first?”

Dan nodded, relaxing slightly.

“Okay. I recognize his name; I think I have his number. I'll call him and ask him to take it down. Do you want to call too or should it be just me?”

“Just you,” Dan said quietly, “But I'll stay.”

“Okay,” Phil said. He found his phone and dialed the number, putting his phone on speaker. He sat up, untangling his sheets so he could be next to Dan, holding his hand.

It was several agonizing rings before Max picked up. Finally: “Hello?” The voice on the other end of the phone was tired and annoyed. 

“Hi, it’s Phil Lester. From YouTube. Can we talk?”

“Oh, hey, Phil. Is it urgent? It's late.”

“It should only take a few minutes. Look, I saw your tweet; I need you to delete it.” Phil fought to keep his voice steady.

There was a long pause before Max responded. “Is Dan there?”

Phil glanced over at Dan. “No. He's asleep.”

Max sighed. “Look, I don't really see the issue with-”

“Yes you do,” Phil interrupted calmly. “We both know exactly what the issue is here. Just take the tweet down.”

“Look, just because you and Dan-”

“Dan and I are friends.” Dan’s hand tightened around his. 

Max snorted. “Which is why you want me to delete a picture of you two hugging.”

Phil squeezed his eyes closed before opening them again. “You know what our fanbase is like. Posting that was misleading and irresponsible. Now take the fucking tweet down or we’ll have problems.”

Dan’s eyes flew to Phil. Even though Phil swore a perfectly normal amount when he was with Dan or their friends, when he was in YouTuber mode- filming, editing, networking- he almost never did.

Phil ignored him, holding his breath through the pause.

“Fine,” Max finally muttered, “but you know that now that it's out there, it's out there. People have screenshotted it already. You can't get rid of it.”

Phil closed his eyes. “Believe me, I know. Just delete it, okay?”

“I said I would, okay?” Phil's phone beeped. Max had hung up.

Dan looked back at his phone and refreshed the page. “It's gone,” he said quietly, and locked his phone.

Phil let out a breath and felt his shoulders relax. “It's gone,” he repeated, and scooted closer to Dan.

Dan didn't move from his hunched over position, but he let Phil pull him into his arms, and he let Phil brush his tears away. 

“Thank you,” Dan said.

“Of course,” Phil said, trying to keep his tone light, “I'll fight anyone who ever tries to out you. Or us.”

He won a halfhearted chuckle from Dan. “You didn't fight him, Phil. You verbally attacked him.”

“Okay, then, I'll verbally attack anyone who ever tries to out you. Better?”

Dan looked up at Phil. “Promise?”

Phil kissed his brown curls. “Promise,” he said.


End file.
